ADVERTISEMENT

NewsWorld

FBI Confirms Remains Found in Florida Are Brian Laundrie’s

The FBI have announced that the skeletal human remains found yesterday in a Florida nature reserve belong to Brian Laundrie, who disappeared last month after his fiancée Gabby Petito was reported missing.

Dental records confirmed the identification, suggesting that Brian had been dead for some time before his remains were found, authorities said.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the remains found yesterday in the reserve are indeed Brian’s,” family attorney Steven Bertolino declared.

“We have no further comment at this time and we ask that you respect the Laundrie’s privacy,” he added.

According to US media, police found human remains and some of Laundrie’s belongings, including a backpack and notebook, at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, near the Calton Reserve in North Port, Florida.

Mr. Bertolino said the missing 23-year-old’s parents had advised the FBI to search the site where they found what appeared to be human remains on Wednesday.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie were at the reserve earlier today when human remains and some of Brian’s possessions were located in an area where they had initially advised law enforcement that Brian may be,” Mr. Bertolino stated.

Rumors that Brian’s parents might have planted his possessions in the swamp quickly spread. But Mr. Bertolino branded such suggestions as “hogwash,” claiming that reporters and police shadowed them all the time.

The FBI announcement came after North Port police confirmed that the discovered remains were skeletal and belonged to a human.

Police spokesperson Josh Taylor told reporters: “They are human remains, no doubt there. I would say that the remains were consistent with one individual, you know, skeletal remains.” Investigators then found clothing consistent with what Laundrie was wearing when he vanished on September 13.

Regarding the notebook found near the remains, Mr. Taylor explained that it had not been opened since it would need to be processed.

Also, a source with knowledge of the investigation told the media that the notebook was “possibly salvageable,” as it was outside the dry bag. “It had been clearly wet, and they are going to use any potential means to dry that out before opening it. They’ll be very careful with it.”

According to 7News reports, Criminologist Casey Jordan said a notebook pointed to the possibility of a suicide note, but its contents are still unknown.

Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie’s fiancée, disappeared days after the couple embarked on a road trip this summer. Her remains were found near where they were last seen together.

Richard Stafford, the lawyer for Gabby Petito’s family, said her relatives would not give any interviews or make any statements on their daughter’s former fiancée’s identification until they are “emotionally ready.”